Five Points Site, New York

Black and white city view of Five Points in 1855

Five Points in 1827 as depicted in Valentine’s Manual, 1855

As a new federal courthouse was being developed in lower Manhattan in the early 1990s, GSA, in fulfillment of its obligations under the National Historic Preservation Act and related federal legislation, undertook archeological investigations at a location once known as Five Points, New York. It was named for the points created by the intersection of Park, Worth, and Baxter streets.

Today, the Five Points neighborhood, once known as a center of vice, crime and debauchery throughout the nineteenth century is occupied by a center of justice — the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse. Learn more about the history of Five Points in New York’s Mythic Slum booklet [PDF - 6 MB].

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Photo Gallery

Five Points in 1827 as depicted in Valentine’s Manual, 1855

The Old Brewery, from The Old Brewery and the New Mission House at the Five Points, by Ladies of the Mission

Named for the points created by the intersection of Park, Worth, and Baxter streets, the neighborhood was known as a center of vice and debauchery throughout the nineteenth century.

View of Collect Pond in 1798 after Alexander Robertson looking southwest (from Baxter and Bayer St.).

Diagram of Courthouse Block excavation showing foundation walls and excavated features.

Overview of 1991 archaeological excavation showing foundations and features on lots 6 and 7 - 472 and 474 Pearl Street
Portion of Maerschalk's "Plan of New York" showing a row of tanneries along the Collect Pond outletlock

Portion of Maerschalk's "Plan of New York" showing a row of tanneries along the Collect Pond outletlock

Portion of Maerschalk’s “Plan of New York” showing a row of tanneries along the Collect Pond outlet
1857 Perris insurance map featuring Block 160

Block 160 as it appears in an 1857 Perris insurance map

Block 160 as it appears in Bromley’s 1902 insurance map
Tunnel excavation construction scene in beneath Pearl Street

Entrance to the tunnel excavation beneath Pearl Street, looking northeast toward the courthouse across the street

Diachronic model of land use and occupation, A.D. 1750 - Present, from Geoarchaeological reconstruction of the Five Points area by Joel Schuldenrein.
Illustration of tanyard worker in short-sleeve shirt, holding long hooked tool over animal hides

Illustration of tanyard worker in short-sleeve shirt, holding long hooked tool over animal hides

Artist’s impression of tanyard worker from The Tanners by Leonard Everett Fischer — note the long hooked tool the tanner is using to handle the hides
A barrel found at the northeast corner of the tunnel trench during construction

A barrel found at the northeast corner of the tunnel trench during construction

A barrel made of Eastern white pine slats was found at the northeast corner of the tunnel trench; it had been buried in the ground, and probably held the liming solution that was used to loosen the hair from the hides before they were tanned
Mid-18th century black and white Illustration of five people at work in a bakery

Mid-18th century black and white Illustration of five people at work in a bakery

Bakery illustration from Diderot’s mid-eighteenth century encyclopedia
1785 tannery map showing 8 lots

The Shaw’s property is marked in the center of this 1785 tannery map of the courthouse block

MCC Tunnel cattle horn cores and miscellaneous bone found buried in a stratum composed of shredded oak bark.

MCC Tunnel A nearly complete canine skeleton - often found in association with historic tanneries.

MCC Tunnel cattle horn cores and miscellaneous bone found buried in a stratum composed of shredded oak bark.

MCC Tunnel wooden slat from the barrel identified as a liming pit that was found at the northeast corner of the tunnel trench

MCC Tunnel iron hook, which would have been attached to a long wooden handle, used to move hides around in the tanning vats.

The Hoffman Assemblage hand-painted pearlware tea set, made in England, 1795-1825.

The Hoffman Assemblage matching creamware, made in England, 1760-1810.

The Hoffman Assemblage Chinese porcelain dinnerware, 1780-1800

The Hoffman Assemblage matching creamware, England 1760-1810

The Hoffman Assemblage Pearlware pitcher, Willow pattern, made in England, 1790-1840

The Hoffman Assemblage two flips with Stiegel-like engraved decoration and pattern-molded fluting, late-18th century

The Hoffman Assemblage unusual Lynn-decorated tumbler, late-18th century

The Hoffman Assemblage two Flips (Left and Center) and a Tumbler (Right)

The Hoffman Assemblage 18th century wine glasses, one pattern molded (left) and two with air twist stems (right)

The Hoffman Assemblage tumbler and two 18th century wine glasses

The Hoffman Assemblage dessert glass with pattern-molded ribbing, 18th century

The Hoffman Assemblage salt cellar (top view/side view), late-18th century

The Hoffman Assemblage salt cellar, late-18th century

The Hoffman Assemblage case bottle (probably for gin), made in Holland, late-18th to early-19th century

The Hoffman Assemblage scent bottle, late-18th century

The Hoffman Assemblage medicinal vials, late-18th century

The Hoffman Assemblage preserved food, snuff, or powdered condiment bottle, late-18th to early-19th century

The Hoffman Assemblage porcelain tobacco pipe bowl, made in Germany, late-18th to early-19th century

The Hoffman Assemblage long stemmed, white clay tobacco pipes, late-18th to early-19th century

Early-20th century courtyard from The Tenement House Problem by DeForest and Veiller (1903)
An old stone privy, marked by an archeological sign

Feature O, a stone-lined privy, located on lot 7 (474 Pearl Street)
Illustration of many people inside a Pearl Street saloon in 1858

Richard Barry’s saloon at 488 Pearl Street in 1858, described by Harper’s Weekly as a place where “regular Democrats” wrested working-class votes
Harper's Weekly interpretation of tenement life during a heat wave (1879)

Harper’s Weekly interpretation of tenement life during a heat wave (1879)

Irish Tenement and Saloon matching white granite teaware set, made in England, 1840-1860

Irish Tenement and Saloon yellow ware mug; transfer-printed child’s cup from the “Games and Pastimes” series (England, ca. 1820); luster ware creamer; and yellow ware (mocha) mug

Irish Tenement and Saloon transfer-printed teawares in common Staffordshire patterns, 1830-1867

Irish Tenement and Saloon white granite chamber pot and lid

Irish Tenement and Saloon stoneware beer bottles

Irish Tenement and Saloon yellow ware spittoon (American made)

Irish Tenement and Saloon pepper sauce bottle decorated in the Gothic style, 19th century

Irish Tenement and Saloon embossed medicinal bottles

Irish Tenement and Saloon proprietary medicinal bottles and vials

Irish Tenement and Saloon embossed patent medicine bottles

Irish Tenement and Saloon figured cologne, and scent bottle, 19th century
Irish Tenement and Saloon- Soda water bottles, 19th century

Irish Tenement and Saloon - Soda water bottles, 19th century

Irish Tenement and Saloon Artifact - 19th-century glass ink bottles; master inks (rear), three umbrella bottles (left front), and a rectangular embossed bottle from T.DAVIDS of New York (right front).

Irish Tenement and Saloon Artifact - Umbrella part, collar stay, and buckle.

Irish Tenement and Saloon Artifact - Faux gemstone, glass hygienic syringe, and bone lice comb.

Irish Tenement and Saloon Artifact - Clay and glass marbles.

Irish Tenement and Saloon Artifacts - A variety of common 19th-century clay pipes, including a bowl molded into a bearded man’s head, a Dutch “Peter Dorni” style pipe, and several fluted styles.

Irish Tenement and Saloon Artifact - Complete examples of two clay pipes; a 19th-century fluted variety, and a “Peter Dorni” style made in Gouda, Holland after 1850.
1861 drawing of the corner of Pearl and Chatham Streets with buildings, people, horse-drawn streetcars

1861 drawing of the corner of Pearl and Chatham Streets with buildings, people, horse-drawn streetcars

Corner of Pearl and Chatham Streets, 1861, as depicted in Valentine’s Manual, 1883

Marketing at Five points, circa 1850, from John Duffy’s A History of Public Health in New York

A Five Points oyster cellar, from George Foster’s New York by Gas-light (1850)

Five Points, circa 1875, from Lightfoot’s Nineteenth-Century New York in Rare Photographic Views (1981)

A Chatham Street Oyster House staffordshire vegetable plate decorated with the “Castle of Saint Angelo” pattern, 1840s

A Chatham Street Oyster House “Old blue” saucer with Lafayette contemplating the tomb of Franklin, French series, Staffordshire, 1824-1835

A Chatham Street Oyster House “Old blue” pitcher with Lafayette contemplating the tomb of Franklin, French series, Staffordshire, 1824-1835

A Chatham Street Oyster House red earthenware porringers

A Chatham Street Oyster House red earthenware pitcher

A Chatham Street Oyster House red earthenware bank

A Chatham Street Oyster House red earthenware pie plate

A Chatham Street Oyster House earthenware chamber pot

A Chatham Street Oyster House tumblers

A Chatham Street Oyster House wine or olive oil bottle

A Chatham Street Oyster House wine bottles

A Chatham Street Oyster House - Flacon, probably used to store capers or olives

A Chatham Street Oyster House - Clay tobacco pipe decorated with thistle and rose motif, made in Linclonshire, England, 19th century

A Chatham Street Oyster House - Clay tobacco pipe with aboriginal figures molded on bowl, made by Thomas Balme of East London, 1805-1840
1890 illustration of people in a Davidson Street tenement room working to make neckties

1890 illustration of people in a Davidson Street tenement room working to make neckties

A necktie workshop in a Davidson Street tenement, from Jacob Riis’ How the Other Half Lives (originally published in 1890)

A Ludlow Street sweat shop, from Jacob Riis’ How the Other Half Lives (originally published in 1890)
1890 illustration of family members carrying large piles of garments on their backs in a city street

1890 illustration of family members carrying large piles of garments on their backs in a city street

Harper’s Weekly image of family members carrying garments home to be sewn together (1890)

Feature H, a stone-lined privy, located at Number 8 Baxter Street (lot 45)

Many Italian immigrants made a living as organ grinders or street musicians, but social reformers campaigned against monkey training schools. One such school is depicted in this illustration from Harper’s Weekly

Needle Trades To Street Musicians - Remains of a New World Cebus monkey

Needle Trades To Street Musicians - Mother of Pearl buttons

Needle Trades To Street Musicians - Sewing related objects, including thimbles, papers of pins, clasps, bone and glass buttons, and a carved tambour (embroidery) hook

Needle Trades To Street Musicians Pressed glass buttons

Needle Trades To Street Musicians Bias tape

Needle Trades To Street Musicians Black cotton thread

Needle Trades To Street Musicians Twill cloth fragment

Needle Trades To Street Musicians “Shoddy” cloth fragment
1865 photo of Lower Hudson Street, showing stacked storefronts for printing, clothing, paint, and a carpenter

1865 photo of Lower Hudson Street, showing stacked storefronts for printing, clothing, paint, and a carpenter

Lower Hudson Street, c. 1865, from Old New York in Early Photographs
1883 magazine illustration of people at an event on the Brooklyn Bridge

Opening Ceremonies on the Brooklyn Bridge, from Harper’s Weekly, June 2, 1883
Black and white map of the 6th ward, with arrow pointing to Five Points intersection near Courthouse block

Black and white map of the 6th ward, with arrow pointing to Five Points intersection near Courthouse block

A map of Manhattan’s Sixth Ward, highlighting the Five Points intersection and the Courthouse Block project area

Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse at 40 Foley Square, erected over part of the old Five Points neighborhood by the U.S. General Services Administration.

Moynihan U.S. Courthouse, Erected over part of the old Five Points site.

Five Points Site, New York

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